Community mourns Tre Carter

19-year-old who drowned in Lake Summit honored at North Henderson High

Mourners gather at North Henderson High School on Saturday evening to remember Tre Carter, a North graduate who drowned in Lake Summit on Monday.

Patrick Sullivan / Times-News

By GINA MALONETimes-News Correspondent

Published: Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 10:54 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 10:54 p.m.

A full moon lent its light to the glow of hundreds of candles Saturday night at a vigil at North Henderson High School for Tre Carter, the 19-year-old who drowned Monday in Lake Summit.

The mood was subdued, and at times emotional, as classmates, friends, community members and the family gathered near the Knights stadium where Carter played football until his graduation in 2012. A photo collage was displayed on the table where white-clad mourners signed guest books.

Carter's friends and classmates organized the event with the help of Cyndi McDaniel, who spoke of her memories of the young man during the time that she coached the swim and cheerleading teams at North Henderson. Carter, she said, came along on all the bus trips, cheering loudly for his alma mater. “Tre was taken too early,” she said tearfully, sympathizing with Carter's family as she remembered her grief at losing her own son.

Pastor Darrell Ellis of Anointed Word International Church in Arden, which Carter and his family had been attending for several years and where Carter was a member of the youth group, led those gathered in prayer and recited Psalm 23.

“We're so blessed to have gotten to know you and we're going to carry you in our hearts for the rest of our lives,” he said of Carter. Carter, he added, “was such a fine young man in so many ways.”

Tim Lolley, the school's “Voice of North,” said, “God, we thank you for number 25, Tre Carter.” Carter led the Knights football team in rushing and scored 12 touchdowns his senior year. He was named to the All-Western North Carolina Athletic Conference. Some of those in attendance at the vigil wore shirts or decorated their cars with Carter's number. Someone lit tea lights arranged to form 25 on the pavement near the gathering.

A classmate, Araceli Gomez, sang Sarah McLachlan's “Angel,” drawing many tears with the lyrics “in the arms of the angels.” Carter's mother and grandmother were so moved that they collapsed with grief and had to be helped from the stadium.

Afterward, white and purple helium balloons were released into the sky. Those gathered joined voices in the singing of “Amazing Grace.”

A Facebook page set up in the days following Carter's death, “Remember Tre Carter #25,” had the following post: “Tre will be remembered forever. … He could make anybody smile no matter what. He was a great athlete and a great friend.”

The Candle Light Prayer Vigil was organized and listed as an event on the North Henderson Football Facebook page. By Saturday morning, more than 200 people had signed up to attend. A posting for the event stated, “I think we should have one last white out for Tre to celebrate his light he shined to so many people.”

The vigil lasted about an hour, with many lingering with their candles in the moonlit field where they talked quietly and shared memories and hugs.

Carter drowned while swimming with friends at Lake Summit in Tuxedo. Rain and poor visibility in the cold, 80-foot waters of the lake hampered efforts to recover his body, which divers retrieved on Wednesday afternoon.

The funeral will be held at Mud Creek Baptist Church at 3 p.m. Monday. The family will receive friends 30 minutes prior the service at the church and from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday in the chapel of Hart Funeral Service.

<p>A full moon lent its light to the glow of hundreds of candles Saturday night at a vigil at North Henderson High School for Tre Carter, the 19-year-old who drowned Monday in Lake Summit.</p><p>The mood was subdued, and at times emotional, as classmates, friends, community members and the family gathered near the Knights stadium where Carter played football until his graduation in 2012. A photo collage was displayed on the table where white-clad mourners signed guest books.</p><p>Carter's friends and classmates organized the event with the help of Cyndi McDaniel, who spoke of her memories of the young man during the time that she coached the swim and cheerleading teams at North Henderson. Carter, she said, came along on all the bus trips, cheering loudly for his alma mater. “Tre was taken too early,” she said tearfully, sympathizing with Carter's family as she remembered her grief at losing her own son.</p><p>Pastor Darrell Ellis of Anointed Word International Church in Arden, which Carter and his family had been attending for several years and where Carter was a member of the youth group, led those gathered in prayer and recited Psalm 23. </p><p>“We're so blessed to have gotten to know you and we're going to carry you in our hearts for the rest of our lives,” he said of Carter. Carter, he added, “was such a fine young man in so many ways.”</p><p>Tim Lolley, the school's “Voice of North,” said, “God, we thank you for number 25, Tre Carter.” Carter led the Knights football team in rushing and scored 12 touchdowns his senior year. He was named to the All-Western North Carolina Athletic Conference. Some of those in attendance at the vigil wore shirts or decorated their cars with Carter's number. Someone lit tea lights arranged to form 25 on the pavement near the gathering.</p><p>A classmate, Araceli Gomez, sang Sarah McLachlan's “Angel,” drawing many tears with the lyrics “in the arms of the angels.” Carter's mother and grandmother were so moved that they collapsed with grief and had to be helped from the stadium.</p><p>Afterward, white and purple helium balloons were released into the sky. Those gathered joined voices in the singing of “Amazing Grace.”</p><p>A Facebook page set up in the days following Carter's death, “Remember Tre Carter #25,” had the following post: “Tre will be remembered forever. … He could make anybody smile no matter what. He was a great athlete and a great friend.”</p><p>The Candle Light Prayer Vigil was organized and listed as an event on the North Henderson Football Facebook page. By Saturday morning, more than 200 people had signed up to attend. A posting for the event stated, “I think we should have one last white out for Tre to celebrate his light he shined to so many people.”</p><p>The vigil lasted about an hour, with many lingering with their candles in the moonlit field where they talked quietly and shared memories and hugs.</p><p>Carter drowned while swimming with friends at Lake Summit in Tuxedo. Rain and poor visibility in the cold, 80-foot waters of the lake hampered efforts to recover his body, which divers retrieved on Wednesday afternoon. </p><p>The funeral will be held at Mud Creek Baptist Church at 3 p.m. Monday. The family will receive friends 30 minutes prior the service at the church and from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday in the chapel of Hart Funeral Service.</p>